


Brothers

by axumun



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Brotherhood, Gen, Makeup
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-27
Updated: 2018-01-27
Packaged: 2019-03-10 06:37:32
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,372
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13496782
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/axumun/pseuds/axumun
Summary: "Noct. It's her first school dance. No one ever taught her about makeup.""So I'm your go-to?""Fuck no, I asked Iggy first."





	Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> Set circa-Brotherhood. Iris is 13-14, so Noct is 17-18, etc.

"Hey. Noct, can you come over?"

"Uh, sure, what's up?"

"It's...it's Iris."

"I-is she okay?"

"Yeah, uh..."

"...Gladio?"

"She needs...help with something."

"Uhm. Is it girl stuff?"

"Well, considering you're always packing on the guyliner..."

"Wha - "

"Noct. It's her first school dance. No one ever taught her about makeup."

"So I'm your go-to?"

"Fuck no, I asked Iggy first."

"But he doesn't - "

"So yeah, be here in ten. And can you pick up Prompto on the way?"

*

When Noct and Prompto reach Gladio's apartment, dutifully on time, it's eerily dark. They're lead through the house by the glow of the bathroom light, where Iris stands in front of the sink, desperately blotting at her face with an alcohol wipe, looking even smaller than usual. She's in her clothes for the dance, a cute black dress with shimmery gold fringe, but her eyes are ringed with wide smokey splotches, her cheeks an upset shade of red.

Ignis is already there, carefully wiping fingerprints and loose powder off of her vanity, before moving on to organizing the myriad of makeup products strewn about. Gladio is in the bathroom too, studying the various eyeshadow and foundation palettes like the answers to his little sister's problems will suddenly rise up from the drain.

"What's going on?" Noct's voice is tinted with worry, confusion, and a shade of amusement that he tries to hide.

"I don't know what to do," Iris chokes. "I can't do this."

"Hey," Gladio soothes, "between all of us, we should know enough to get you all ready."

"Yeah!" Prompto cheered. "I'm okay with foundation, and Noct's here for the other stuff."

Noct's gaze darted around. "Uh, what about you, Specs?"

Ignis made an amused sound. "Makeup isn't my area of expertise, but I'm in charge of hair. Plus, I'm Iris' driver."

"And he makes for some good moral support," Prompto added, shuffling through the skin tones, making his choice after a moment of heavy scrutiny. "Me first!"

Iris sets the used wipes on the sink, turning towards Prompto and taking some calming breaths. "You guys are great."

"Aw, this is nothing," Prompto assures her. Ignis pulls a stool from the kitchen and sets it beside her, encouraging her to sit, and she does. "But you've gotta smile for me, okay? Makes this stuff set better."

Noct is amazed by the easy smile and genuine giggle that Prompto manages to salvage from Iris' misery. He'd never seen such a brotherly side of his friend; Prompto usually clammed up around everyone else but him.

As Prompto starts with the primer ("It was all I could find at the gas station, I hope it's okay..."), Ignis puts himself behind Iris' chair, hairbrush in hand, starting to smooth her short yet wild locks back. Iris becomes the picture of calm, her eyes falling closed, childish smile becoming pure contentment.

Sometimes Noctis can forget the depths of his companions' humanity when he sees them on such rigid schedules. It slips his mind that Gladio's had to raise his baby sister while still a kid himself, that Ignis has hobbies and skills that just weren't used in his duties to Noctis. He forgets that above all, Prompto is fantastic at endearing himself to others, and can read a situation very clearly, even if he doesn't always know how to react.

He kicks himself, having fallen into such a rut that he and his companions have felt like machinery. This is where they all would shine: being big brothers in the best ways that they each could.

Prompto has moved onto the foundation now, and Ignis has gathered the beginnings of a side braid. Gladio makes small talk to keep Iris comfortable, even when Prompto asks her to sit as still as she can, which just makes her crack up more. Noct doesn't think he's ever seen Gladio so at peace. It's an amazing thing to be a part of.

"You're gonna be up soon, Mr. Prince," Prompto muses, starting to smooth the subtle contour he's created. "Better be ready."

"Oh, got it," Noct affirms, started to paw at the eyeliner pencils. He picks a simple black one so as to match. "Where'd ya get all this stuff?"

"Some are birthday presents from Gladdy. Some were Mom's."

"Oh." Noctis fiddles with the sharpener to compensate for his lack of response, giving the pencil a cursory run-through. "It's, uh...a lot of cool stuff."

"Gladdy picked out most of it," Iris continued. In most other situations, Noct might've snickered, if only because it was unexpected, but he swallowed it in the face of Gladio's resolve.

"OK, it's all you, Noct!" Prompto stands and twirls with a victorious flourish, stepping beside Gladio and motioning for Noct to take his place.

"Right." Noct glanced to Ignis as he was touching up her braid, starting at the top left side of her head and ending at her right shoulder. Iris was sneaking peeks at herself in the over-the-sink mirror, appearing completely fascinated.

Noct crouched in front of her, tentatively applying some smokey, glittery eyeshadow to the outer corners of her eyelids. He didn't do this to himself, but he'd seen girls at school do it, so he figured it was right. Iris was a little fidgety until Gladio continued talking to her, with Noct chiming in once and a while to ask her to open or close her eyes.

"So how do you do it?" Iris asked, once Noct readied the pencil. "I'm really bad at eyeliner."

"Well..." Noct brought the pencil under her left eye. "Just one slow, steady stroke. Gotta keep the pressure even, and...there. Just like that."

"Can I see?" Iris asked, and Noct obliged, shifting to her side.

"Wow, can I try?" There was wonder and confidence in Iris' voice, and Noct obliged again, handing her the pencil. He watched as she huddled close to the mirror, determination in her gaze as she copied Noct's motions, getting a pretty controlled line under her right eye. She turned around so her brothers could assess.

"Whoa! Nice, Iris!" Prompto gushed. "Way better than what I could do!"

"Could use some work," Iris insisted, "but I think I get it now. Thanks, guys."

"A fine start," Ignis added, securing a black bow at the top of the braid. "And it looks like you're about ready."

"I think so," Iris agreed, quickly applying some of her go-to lip gloss. "Yeah. I feel great."

"We'd better get going," Gladio told her, seeming to be brimming with pride. The party slowly began to file out, heading toward the front door. "You got your jacket, sis?"

"Right here!" she called, having already retrieved it from the couch.

Gladio gave her a bright smile, and let it speak for him until he could muster, "Mom'd be proud, y'know."

"Thanks, Gladdy," Iris answered softly, seeming to condsider the words' weight.

"Shall we?" Ignis gave a little bow, making Iris giggle.

"Yeah," Iris said, confidence peaking. "Let's go, Gladdy!"

Gladio started to make his way out, then stopped in front of Noct and Prompto, his proud smile still lingering. "Thanks for everything, guys."

"Of course," Noct said, not sure where to look. "It was kinda fun."

"It's what brothers do, right?" Prompto also seemed unsure of where to lock his gaze, appearing worried that his words were too strong, too soon.

"Huh Maybe we should keep you around after all," Gladio told him, and Prompto perked back up like a flower finding the sun. "You both have training tomorrow. Better get some rest."

"Yes si - uh. Gladio. It was fun." Prompto made his way back toward Noct's car, calling his goodbyes to Ignis and Iris, walking off the misstep.

As their feet passed the threshold of the front door and Ignis started the engine of Gladio's car, Noct thought to ask, "So, why aren't you driving?"

"You know he's the best driver of all of us. And Iris has never done anything like this, I wanted it to be special."

Noct chuckled. "Must feel pretty good."

Iris playfully called for Gladio to hurry up, and his feet were moving again. He answered to Noct over his shoulder, "Feels even better not to go it alone anymore."

**Author's Note:**

> Based on this kinkmeme prompt (I'll link and fill when I can find it again):  
>  _Iris has a high school dance she needs to go to, but her first attempt at putting on makeup has her staring at her expression in horror. She CAN'T go to the dance like this! She'll DIE._  
>  _So Gladio, being a good brother, calls in his friends to help Iris out. They all end up being remarkably good at it, because they use makeup regularly in their own lives._  
>  _I just need all the chocobros being big brother figures who are perfectly at home with makeup._


End file.
